Inferno
by rokusan23
Summary: He was willing to conquer hell if he had to...  VaynexJess


Oh my. I haven't updated anything for a really long while and yet here I am with another story in mind. How should I put this? Hmm… Well, college sucks. Hahaha. Oh no, not in a bad way. It's just I'm rarely at home 24/7… Either I'm off to rehearsals with my theater group, drawing editorial cartoons and comics for our college's newspaper, training with our muay thai organization or somewhere advocating for whatever stand our school hopes to promote. Yep, I'm important now. Tee-hee. It's all swell and everything but I sooooo have no time to geek out like this, my passion :P. I really miss reading and making fanfics… Hahaha.

Most of my writer friends have moved on and retired *sob* But I see promising works from new pen-names… Well, I haven't got the chance to improve my writing skills since nursing paper works are all in black and white… Hahaha. You guys should see my very first health assessment- _verydeep breathing, as if he wanted me._ Hahaha! I was kidding y'know- however, that was the writer in me. Now it's- _spontaneous and non-labored breathing with bronchovesicular breath sounds._ Boo.

Oh, since Vayne became a doctor- so maybe I can use that. Yeah, I will :D I'll add a footnote at the end so some of you guys will know various medical terms too… But I know you guys are smart and can figure out the meaning from just reading the passage or… reviewing your Biology; your pick- Haha. Oh yeah, surely Nikki's and Muppy's ending does not apply here .Just hook up Flay with Nikki okay? Let us not crush her dreams of finding a hubby. I was tempted to pair Nikki and Muppy but I considered two things, hate mail from her fans and Muppy's ability to auto-spawn (and the fact that he likes men…). Haha.

* * *

Of course he was getting frustrated. He had promised her. It was the one thing that kept him from losing himself. And as of now, with every round of the second hand- he was losing her. At the time, he was certain of it, so very certain that somehow that he would find a way. He soon realized how arrogant he was, not even the great Theofratus was able to mend at least an ounce of the problem. The very matter that drove the great Theofratus to create an artificial Mana, a being derived from the pure energy from tens of thousands of Mana- to create _him_; someone, _something_ even more powerful than the legendary alchemist's nearly immortal body to alleviate the guilt he posed upon himself.

Theofratus wished for death because he was not capable revoking the mistake he had done- deducting precious life from this very sweet little girl. Indeed, he cured the disease that threatened her early life; but because of his mistake, to Theofratus- it was all the same. She would be most unfortunate to experience an untimely death; moreover, it was as if he was the one who had murdered her. With her blood on his hands, he schemed and finally achieved what he truly wished for.

Every potion and wild concoctions he and his friends synthesized were palliative treatments to ease the symptoms she was going through. The medicinal prophylaxis he prepared on a daily basis was to prevent her from succumbing to any type of infection. Even the rhinovirus, the cause of the common cold, was not to be underestimated with its over 2 million species. He knows that viruses are effortlessly eliminated through phagocytosis but against 2 million is too much, especially for her immunocompromised status. There are also opportunistic pathogens that may lead to secondary infections, don't even get him started on the airborne ones.

Every single day, he absolutely makes sure that her personal belongings, even her utensils are thoroughly sterile as they can be and free from any vectors. He even considered purchasing an autoclave more than twice, thrice- honestly, he would like to go out now and buy one immediately even though it would raise many objections from her, appealing that she is not that vulnerable to disease as he believed she was. Still, one trait that he was never able to shake off even after 7 years from graduation was worrying too much.

He already worries too much concerning the commonalities of daily living- multiply that by ten folds when it concerns about her wellbeing. She often states how he over reacts and reassures him that she's perfectly fine. Her records, however, betray her- this month alone, she had 4 episodes of losing consciousness with three full weeks of body malaise. She's also having anorexia these past 2 days, not even a Black Muscat Sherbet could work up her appetite. Even Sulpher empathizes by lying curled up beside her, a gesture which she shows her gratitude by scratching his cat ears lovingly.

He could feel that time was slowly but surely slipping away, and perhaps she too began to notice. Recently, she often asks him to stay with her for long periods of time, a request he has no amount of sheer will-power to refuse. She is quite fond of laying her head on his chest, riding the rhythmic rise and fall of his breathing. Meanwhile, he had grown accustomed with caressing her soft pink hair… As he moves closer to slowly breathe in her natural sweet scent of chamomile, tickling her every time- driving him to perform it as a habit.

They often have small pillow talks, mostly about her- mainly because there isn't much of his to share given his once hermit life in the forest. He learned that aside from making medicine (and things that go _BOOM!_) she also wanted perhaps what every woman would want for her future- not as imperative and vital as Nikki's quest to save her dwindling race, of course. He was not against the idea of having children, truth be told, he genuinely wants them- but, as always, he puts an enormous amount of consideration about her health.

This idea annoys her to a very great extent, aside from doubting her sexual prowess by failing to seduce her own husband of 3 years- yes, they do make love… often… frequently… a lot… but he always holds himself back, she undeniably appreciates his thoughtfulness and she is very satisfied with their most intimate moments… nonetheless, she wants to experience the blinding white heat of love at least once in her dwindling lifetime. She is also unquestionably envious of Nikki and Flay with their litter of adorable children and is keen on their periodical visits. She enjoys the clatter and squeaks of toys, the sounds of their tiny steps, their boisterous laughter and even their adorable cries…

Though, even after all these years, she remained incredibly childish. On days where she feels rather energetic, she would coax him to a pillow fight where he would intentionally lose, as a consolation price, he receives a kiss... kisses… make out. She also gets allowed to synthesize as long as he's nearby to put out fires just in case. One request that he would not consent to is her desire to wear dark-colored clothing like crimson or dark blue… he reasons that it depresses him, but she just shrugs in reply and tell him that he's just being silly. However, she has an entire clothing line of hats, bibs and mittens made for Sulpher, much to the feline's displeasure- but he plays along with it for the sake of his master's happiness as well- he just wished that the Mana Of Wind would keep her trap shut and ultimately quit calling him "kitty". He bought her mounds of stuffed toys to cuddle, a particular pinkish red mushy one she aptly named "Muppy"… a name that still sends chills down his spine.

Days like that are what he dreaded losing the most. Her endearing trait of laughing at the simple pleasures of life made her the center of his world, making him even more desperate of finally developing a curative process. He had read countless books about alchemy from around the world courtesy of Roxis and his lineage of notable alchemists but they weren't enough still. Flay and his "evil" syndicates have pitched in a bit of knowledge or two about restorative alchemy from recent up-coming alchemists but their theories were derived from what he already knew. Anna also shared ancient eastern secrets and is on a side quest of learning everything she could while running her family business at the same time. He respectfully declined whatever Muppy offered for moral and marital reasons. Pamela occasionally pops out of nowhere and shares what she gathered from _the otherworld, _where souls afraid of death endlessly roam in eternal limbo (those who weren't afraid of death, like Theofratus, was able to _move on_)_- _apparently, no one has ever tried this god-like feat of extending human life.

It was bothering him for a long time… god-like feat… He needed to become god-like. He had the chance; he was god-like once before. He felt what his father felt, hopeless and desperate. Again, her impact on his life was drastic, in fact, if it wasn't for her- he would not have been created at all. If Theofratus would not have been driven into mad guilt then _he_ would not have lived. And if he had not met her, he would not have truly lived at all. She died once, Isolde had murdered her… Unknowingly, the teacher avenged her seething hatred; she took the life of the girl that drove her beloved into insanity. He had felt desperation then- but it was nothing compared to what he was feeling now.

He surely has plausible theories and all of them needed a powerful catalyst, an energy source that would shoulder the alteration, the very extension of the human life-force itself. He had painstakingly read the past works of his late father, yes, he was grievously tempted more than once to distraughtly replicate the insanity. If he insisted, he would receive a whirlwind of negativities from his friends, other alchemists… and a _"Boo."_ from her…

But what else was he to do?

He was just a young man in love…

Love can overcome many obstacles… however; it also clouds your better judgment. If only he could hear his own voice without having him to say a word…

_"Make a wish…"_

_

* * *

_

Sulpher grew increasingly apprehensive for his master has not returned to get some sleep. Vayne would leave their bedroom once Jessica was sound asleep at night, then heads down the basement that functions both as a workshop and a library where he buries himself under piles of thick; leather bound books and stacks of complicated research papers. At midnight, he would usually come back to bed.

Scanning with his light-sensitive cat eyes he spots the clock upon the wooden bedside drawer. Its half past three, he should have come back hours ago. Both of them had been on the edge because Jess hasn't been feeling well lately. If something were to happen, what was a cat to do? He could always get the Mana Of Wind to fetch Vayne, then again, only he would be left alone with the girl. Purring won't help the situation even though Jess would surely appeal it would.

The cat decided that something should be done before his worries pass of as reality. Ever so quietly struggling away from Jess' loving clutches, careful not to awaken her- and degrading his superior feline ego by imitating a wiggling worm, he was free. He leapt off the bed with a soft thump. Suddenly, the person he tried so hard not to awaken had sat upright. Sulpher could see her sleepy eyes trying focus… He needed to do something, even if it means crushing his already degraded ego one more time. His all his might, as cutely as he could, he let out a soft…

_"Mew…"_

Sensing that she was not at all alone, the sleepy Jess relaxed and permitted her body weight to fall onto the bed. Silently cursing his humiliating kitten-like cry and shaking it off, he proceeded to head down the flight of stairs. He passed the cozy living room and the outrageously surgically clean kitchen to a narrow hallway with a single cedar door to the left. Like every other door in this house, there is cat-flap- with a _whoosh_ he continued down another flight of stairs.

He could hear the bubbling of boiling fluids he assumes to be Jessica's medicine for later today. The damp stone walls amplify each sound in a crescendo of echoes. He squint his eyes because the dimly lit room serves as a ballroom of dancing shadows- he searches for a bush of light gray hair in the sea of thick; leather bound books and complicated research papers…

At the corner of his left eye, Sulpher spots him… He was sitting rather slouched on his chair with his head sleepily nodding and his arms lazily drooping at his sides. The cat was worried for nothing, his master simply fell asleep. He ran up to Vayne and circled his right leg which caused the young man to stir in his sleep.

_"Meow…"_

_

* * *

_

He blinked twice and looked down at Sulpher, and then up on the sole window found at the upper left of the room; the sun was preparing to light another day. He tried to soothe his headache by massaging his temples and when that brought slight relief, he stood up to put out the fire under the cauldron and the lamp lighting the room. He headed up the flight of stairs and towards the narrow hallway; he passed the outrageously surgically clean kitchen and then the cozy living room. He came up another flight of stairs. He slowly opened a cedar door to the right and silently walked tip-toed inside. He removed his jacket and placed it neatly on a nearby chair, kicking off his shoes he then slid between the covers… He turned to Jess where he reached out to touch her.

Cold… Unbearably cold... And stiff… And… And…

* * *

He woke up with a gasp of air with cold sweat as dripping from his forehead. He frantically looked around and saw Sulpher circling his leg. His head was aching but he paid no heed. He quickly stood and put out the fire under the cauldron and the lamp that lit the room. He sped up the flight of stairs, towards the narrow hallway… the outrageously surgically clean kitchen and then the cozy living room was nothing but a blur… he sped up again up the flight of stairs and even skipped a couple of steps… He didn't bother to remove his jacket or his shoes… all he thought of was to reach out and touch her…

She was… she was… incredibly warm and so soft…

He ran his hands up and down her body…

She retaliated by grabbing her pillow and sloppily hitting his head…

"Jeez, Vayne… Five more… minutes..." she sluggishly said as she curled up and covered her head with the pillow, "I'll play… later…"

He wasn't sure whether to laugh at himself or laugh at her reaction. What he did instead is that he buried his face in her neck and giving her light kisses…

"I said… laterrr…" she slurred but placed her arms around his head.

He was incredibly in love with this woman. And he was prepared to whatever consequence the following days would bring. All that mattered to him… was her.

* * *

Sulpher decided to resume his rest on the couch of the cozy living room. He didn't understand why Vayne hurriedly rushed upstairs… The cat assumed that it was something he'd rather not see… With a sleepy yawn he drifted back to sleep.

* * *

So, um, that concludes Chapter 1… or… the only chapter ever… I dunno… Hahaha. This wasn't very well thought out y'know… This was just a whim… And I was kinda thinking in making a doujin with this… I draw pretty good… But again… I don't have the time… Sem break is sooo short… huuuu…

So, uh, tell me what you think? It shall be much appreciated… Ciao.

FOOTNOTE:

Palliative- alleviates the symptoms of the disease but does not cure the disease itself.

Prophylaxis- antibiotics are taken to _prevent_ infection, ergo subject is not infected yet.

Phagocytosis- white blood cell "eating" antigens or disease-causing foreign bodies.

Immunocompromised- just as it says, compromised immunity :)

Pathogens/Antigens- disease-causing foreign bodies (Oooooh, foreign bodies- Akihiro Sato and David Beckham comes to mind- yummy!).

Opportunistic pathogens- It's when a pathogen takes advantages of your weakened status to invade your system.

Secondary infections- Infections not from the disease itself, but from the opportunistic pathogens.

Sterile- no, it doesn't mean incapacitated to conceive children .… and 'clean' is an understatement. It's germ-free, a very literal 99.9% germ free.

Vectors- medium of diseases (i.e flies, poorly prepared food, infected bodily fluids etc...)

Autoclave- imagine a very big pressure cooker that delivers intense pressure that kills 100% bacteria.

Body malaise- body weakness :P, why didn't I just put that? I dunno. Hahaha.

Anorexia- loss of appetite, it's different from _anorexia nervosa_, y'know- the psychological disturbance of perceived body image where you starve yourself to stay thin.


End file.
